Monday, November 18, 2013 [Faith]
James 2:17
"So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless."
My spiritual father (mentor) is a man that I've known since I was about eight years old, Pastor Tom Johnson. He is a great storyteller. For just about every verse of Scripture or Christian theme that you can think of he has a story to tell. I remember this one story about when he was a new Jesus-follower.
Having formerly been heavily involved in the illegalities of the Bronx street-life in the 50's, Johnson was getting his act together, doing social work and part-time ministry. He had just gotten paid, cashed his paycheck, and was walking down the street when he saw a guy that he knew, an upstanding brother. They stopped and talked for a while. In the conversation Johnson discovered that this brother had fallen on some hard times. He had lost his job, had no income, and was about to be evicted. That's when Johnson said it, the Christian phrase that eliminates all problems: I'll be praying for you.
It was right then that the Holy Spirit spoke to my pastor: "You've got the money that this man needs in your back pocket." As Johnson tells the story (jokingly), his hand developed momentary arthritis and he had to force it into his pocket to retrieve the money for his friend. Instead of just speaking his faith with Christian-ese language, he did something about the situation. As a result, Johnson says that he's never felt the same way about giving money ever again. And, I can testify that this is true – if he had to he'd give the very shirt off of his back.
"From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:16-17)
It's one thing to say that we have faith in God, but it is another to put that faith into action. God has been so gracious to us and so faithful to us that we all have something to give. Much of our problem is that we believe if we give more we will actually have less. But, this is not faith, and it's actually not true. Proverbs 11:25 reads, "The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." That word refresh means "to drink until you're full." This tells me that if I fill someone else, Jesus will fill me. That's a promise, but faith is what makes it a reality.
How does this change the way you pray tomorrow?
Have you ever felt as though you had nothing left to give? How did you overcome that?
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